Amanpour and Company

News and Public Affairs Series / 3 Seasons

Featuring conversations with global leaders and decision makers on the issues affecting the world today, Amanpour and Company adds to the long tradition of public affairs programming that has been a hallmark of public media for decades.

Watch: S2023 E6121

26m 46s

“Travel Is a Political Act:” Rick Steves on the “Hippie Trail”

18m 9s

”The hippie trail” was a legendary route for travelers, thousands of miles overland from Istanbul to Kathmandu. It's the journey that inspired the highly respected travel writer Rick Steves back in 1978. Now Steves is on an entirely different journey after battling prostate cancer. He tells Walter Isaacson why he believes travel is a vital force for peace.

Trump and the Press: Frank Sesno on the State of Journalism

17m 54s

As the Trump administration continues to exert pressure on the media, The New York Times editorial board has accused it of having a distorted view -- "banning words, phrases and ideas" to conform with the Trump version of free speech. Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington Bureau Chief and professor at GW's School of Media and Public Affairs, joins Michel Martin to discuss this worrying trajectory.

How Underground Schools Across the South Built the Civil Rights Movement

18m 18s

A book event intended to honor journalist Elaine Weiss was part of a recent string of event cancellations at the National Archives. Her book "Spell Freedom" focuses on four activists who laid the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Weiss believes this is a result of budget cuts and new leadership at the National Archives. The author discusses the relevance of her work in today's America.

The U.S.- Ukraine Minerals Deal: How Rare Earths Are Reshaping Geopolitics

17m 3s

A New York Times opinion piece argues that Trump is taking a page out of China's foreign policy playbook in his pursuit of a minerals deal with Ukraine. The article’s author, Gracelin Baskaran, is director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at CSIS. Baskaran says we’re entering "a new era of minerals diplomacy." She joins the show to discuss why leaders are going after these resources.

Former UK Foreign Secretary Reacts to Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Clash

4m 47s

After Trump's angry exchange with Zelensky, British PM Starmer hosted an emergency summit and announced that the UK and France were assembling a coalition to enforce a peace deal for Ukraine. The White House has signaled its approval, but Starmer has made it clear that a peace plan will never succeed without a US backstop. Former UK Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind joins the show to discuss.

Trump’s Anti-Trans Orders Are “Ultimately Going to Harm Us All,” Says Expert

18m 2s

Since taking office, President Trump has issued a number of executive orders targeting trans Americans. These orders cover issues from civil rights protections, to blocking gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, to restricting participation in sports leagues. Chase Strangio, ACLU's co-director for the LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project discusses with Hari Sreenivasan.

Plane Crashes, Wildfires, War: Processing Grief in a World of Constant Crises

17m 32s

With wars being waged around the world and tens of thousands of people dead, individual and collective grief have moved to the forefront of daily life. Renowned grief expert David Kessler argues that a world overwhelmed by constant crisis is becoming "grief illiterate." He joins the show to explain the importance of dedicating time for processing grief in an increasingly desensitized world.

Fmr. Navy Commander on Trump’s Purge of the Pentagon

18m 13s

The Pentagon is reeling from the recent firings of top military leaders and lawyers. The dismissals included Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown Jr. Theodore R. Johnson is a retired naval officer who served for two decades, and he says that this was "strictly a political move." Johnson speaks to Michel Martin about the potential impacts.

Bill Browder on the $300 Billion in Frozen Assets That Could Save Ukraine

17m 56s

As American support for Kyiv appears to be uncertain, French President Macron met yesterday with President Trump and warned against any "surrender" of Ukraine. To discuss the impact of the Trump administration's recent moves to negotiate with Vladimir Putin, Walter Isaacson sat down with Hermitage Capital Management CEO and co-founder Bill Browder.

“The Autocrats Feel Emboldened:” Kenneth Roth on the Fight for Human Rights

17m 58s

In 2022, Kenneth Roth left Human Rights Watch after 30 years at the helm. During his tenure the organization grew dramatically, conducting investigations in 100 countries to uncover abuses. Speaking to Walter Isaacson, Roth discusses his new book, “Righting Wrongs,” which examines his three decades leading the charge for human rights.

If Trump Dismantles the Dept. of Education, Who Will Pay the Biggest Price?

17m 38s

Could Trump dismantle the Department of Education? As a member of the House Education Committee and a former public school teacher, Rep. Jahana Hayes is doing everything she can to protect the millions of students who rely on DOE programs. Hayes was recently among a group of lawmakers denied entry into the DOE by armed security guards. She joins Michel Martin to discuss.

What Does Race Have to Do With America’s Foreclosure Crisis?

17m 29s

Bernadette Atuahene is an author and law professor, and her new book "Plundered" explores what she calls the systemic bigotry in America's tax system. She joins the show to reveal what she learned following the lives of two families in Detroit, one white and one Black.

Inside Trump’s DOJ: Jan. 6, Eric Adams and the Future of American Justice

17m 58s

A federal judge is asking the Dept of Justice to explain why prosecutors have suddenly dismissed the corruption indictment against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Multiple prosecutors have resigned in protest amid concerns that the Trump administration struck a deal in exchange for Adams' help in enforcing immigration laws. Brendan Ballou, who recently left the DOJ joins the show to discuss the legal drama.

Has Cancel Culture Gone Too Far? Prof. Loretta J. Ross on “Calling In”

18m 22s

While the U.S. is sowing division globally, an atmosphere of hostility is also heating up at home. From federal agency shutdowns to a succession of polarizing executive orders, many Americans feel at the mercy of the new Trump leadership. A longtime human rights activist and co-founder of the Reproductive Justice Framework, author Loretta Ross provides some answers in her new book "Calling In."

Bill Gates on Trump, AI, and a Life of Revolutionizing Tech

18m 3s

In the United States, international aid is also on Trump's foreign policy chopping block. For now, a federal judge has paused a funding freeze on USAID. Tech giant Bill Gates joins Walter Isaacson to explain how the global fight against disease could be affected by the sweeping cuts. Gates also discusses his new memoir, “Source Code.”

Is Your Diet Making You Sick? The Hidden Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods

17m 21s

Dhruv Khullar is a physician and contributing writer for The New Yorker, and he's been investigating the dangers of ultra-processed food in our diets. He joins the show to talk about his findings.

Amb. Robert Lighthizer: The Architect of Trump’s Tariff Plan

18m 13s

More and more of President Trump's tariffs are taking effect by the day. One man has more insight into this policy and its ideas than most: Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, who served as U.S. Trade Representative in the first Trump administration and is considered the architect of the President's tariff policy. He joins the show to discuss tariffs and trade wars.

“Death by Numbers:” Parkland Shooting Survivor’s Journey to Empowerment

18m 32s

This week marks seven years since the Parkland School shooting, when 17 students and staff were shot to death by a former student. The incident ignited a wave of protests and bipartisan legislation. It also is the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Death by Numbers," which looks at the journey of shooting survivor Sam Fuentes. Fuentes and the film's director, Kim A. Snyder, join the show.

Trump v. the Courts: Is America Headed Toward a Constitutional Crisis?

17m 13s

The Trump administration has seen several of its executive orders frozen — from its campaign to end birthright citizenship to the destruction of USAID. Now a judge in Rhode Island has become the first to declare that the White House has disobeyed a court order. Could this signal the start of a constitutional crisis? Harvard law professor and Bloomberg columnist Noah Feldman joins Walter Isaacson.

“The Tech Coup:" Expert Warns of Silicon Valley’s Influence on Washington

17m 4s

Has Silicon Valley become too powerful? Marietje Schaake believes it has. In an effort to advocate for more regulation of tech companies, she pivoted from serving in the European parliament to a fellowship at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center. Schaake joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the tech titans' grip on Washington and what it might mean for American democracy.

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